In August, 44 percent fewer cases of infectious diseases besides COVID-19 were registered compared with the corresponding period last year.
The decline applies to all disease groups. A total of 1,484 cases were registered in the period from 1 August to 31 August.
– The decline in reported infectious diseases is probably related to the social distancing measures that were implemented in early March, improved hand hygiene, and a visible reduction in health service use, says department director Line Vold in a press release.
It is in vaccine preventable diseases that the decline is greatest.
Vold believes that one explanation may be that infection control measures for COVID-19 contribute to fewer people becoming ill from these diseases, as many of the diseases are transmitted by airborne infection through the respiratory tract or by contact with contaminated surfaces.
Furthermore, access to testing, prioritization at laboratories, and fewer doctor visits may have been contributed to the lower numbers, the department director points out.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
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